EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

J

Jeff Quigley

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 21, 2004
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109
My post about the long weekend boating deaths in Ontario have got me thinking about emergency drills for the family to practice in the event of an emergency, docked or out on the water.<br /><br />Much like we do for home fire drills, I'm thinking of coming up with a quick 10 minute drill that I can have my family practice. I have 2 young sons and I want them to feel confident in their ability if any should ever happen that might require them to jump off the boat etc.<br /><br />I'd love to hear if any of you have ever created your own plan and what you cover. A list or suggestions would be welcomed by all.<br /><br />Jeff
 
roscoe

roscoe

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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

Jump in, hold hands, stay calm, relax and float, you won't sink if you have your pfd on. If the kids are small, you might want to tie them together with a length of rope. If the water is cold, don't struggle, pull your body into a ball to conserve heat.<br /><br />Thats all I have, but I know there are some rescue guys out there.
 
waterinthefuel

waterinthefuel

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Nov 15, 2003
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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

A ten minute drill? In a real emergency you may have more like 10 seconds. A drill isn't necessary. If you are on the water everybody has their lifejackets on and should swim away from the boat if it capsizes. Simple. On land, run away from the boat. You can maybe have an idea in mind, but during a real emergency kids panic anyway, so using a drill, although a great idea in concept, is probably worthless in application. Just have a sit down chat about what to do incase of an on the water emergency. Something simple. For instance, "If I say jump, everybody jump overboard and get away from the boat." It really doesn't have to be complex, it isn't an airliner doing 200 knots for goodness sakes.<br /><br />I tried making a semi-drill with my new passengers when I flew small planes. Telling them to open the doors when I said to during a possible emergency to make sure they didn't jam shut in a crash backfired, I scared the hell out of my passengers. A plane really is a tin can with an engine, and crinkles up like one when it crashes. I just tell them now that "I will give you instructions during the emergency on what to do, and you will follow them to the letter without asking questions." <br /><br />That works much better.
 
QC

QC

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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

The only special routine I do is whenever I have someone new on the boat, I point out all of my life jackets and the throwable. This helps hammer it into my family too.
 
M

michael-lagrange

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 3, 2006
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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

Practice using the fire extinguisher(dont actualy<br />use it) so everyone knows how to release it from its holder pull the pin and sweep it side to side.<br /> small fires may need no more than a few short burst, large fires sweep back and forth, disconect battery soon as posible afterwards. then consider evacuation. <br />If you dont know CPR--LEARN IT, it could save the life your loved one.
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

If you are on the water everybody has their lifejackets on and should swim away from the boat if it capsizes.
Click to expand...
I Completely Disagree............<br /><br />NEVER Leave the Boat,.............. Unless it's Burning............<br /><br />A Capsized Hull will Keep You Alive,+ Floating.........<br /><br />Besides,........ That's WHAT Your Rescuers are Looking For................
 
SS MAYFLOAT

SS MAYFLOAT

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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

My suggestion is for those that go boating but can't swim. Have them put a PFD on and get into the water. This will let them know what to expect when they are in the water with it on. <br /><br />Several years ago I was in that situation. My buds wife didn't swim and hated being around water. (yeah we had a fun time with her onboard :rolleyes: ) We pulled up to the boaters swim area which is about 3 to 6' deep. I anchored the water in the 3' part. All of the kids and adults put on the PFD's and got into the water. Finally we convinced for her to do this that it may save her life at some point. She jumped overboard and then preceeded to freak out! She started swinging her arms, screaming, and spitting out water at the same time. As some PFD's do, hers slid up a little and this also freaked her out. Then my friend told her to stand up and put her feet on the bottom instead of fighting herself. She felt real embarassed when she realized the water was shallow and all she had to do was put her feet on the bottom.<br /><br />She learned that day how a PFD will keep you afloat and just designed to keep your head out of the water. With that incident, she now enjoys going boating with her husband and kids. The kids think it is great now that mommy will get into the water with them. <br /><br />Since most accidents happen quickly and most people in small lakes do not wear their PFD's, it is also good to practice putting them on while you are in the water.<br /><br />The skipper of the boat has the liability of the people on board. It is good for the skipper to know his plan for emergency to aid his passengers in the event of an accident.<br /><br />Anything that deals with a saftey issue is a good topic in my book.<br /><br />BTW, I agree with Bondo on staying with the boat unless it is on fire. Thats how I was instructed many moons ago.<br /><br />Good Luck........SS
 
Tail_Gunner

Tail_Gunner

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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

Originally posted by Bondo:<br />
If you are on the water everybody has their lifejackets on and should swim away from the boat if it capsizes.
Click to expand...
I Completely Disagree............<br /><br />NEVER Leave the Boat,.............. Unless it's Burning............<br /><br />A Capsized Hull will Keep You Alive,+ Floating.........<br /><br />Besides,........ That's WHAT Your Rescuers are Looking For................
Click to expand...
:cool: Agreeded in my youth i have sat on a few hulls waiting for help, now that i bit older and not to much wiser i no longer would sit on the hull but i sure wouldnt leave it.
 
C

carljh

Seaman Apprentice
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Nov 8, 2005
Messages
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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

As most of my boating is on the River Zambezi where there are hippos' all over the place my golden rule in the event of a capsize/sinking is:<br />If there are hippos about, remove life jacket, inflate and throw at hippo, jump in and swim in opposite direction.<br />I still haven't worked out a plan for crocodiles and elephants so any ideas are more then welcome.
 
S

shmalik

Cadet
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Apr 11, 2006
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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

Jeff, another thing you might want to talk to your kids about is what to do in case when you, the captain, are no longer on board... in that rare case you get thrown over board. Tell them where the kill switch is and what to do with it, how to signal for help, etc.
 
Boatist

Boatist

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Apr 22, 2002
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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

We pratice a man overboard drill with a basket ball for the man.<br /><br />Also a Towing drill, getting set up to tow a boat larger than ours.<br /><br />Last is for someone other than the normal skipper to setup a route on the electronics to take you back into port and then use the electronics to get in. Skipper could have a Heart Attack or become ill out in the fog and seas and not be able to perform these task.<br /><br />Also My entire crew has passed a boating skill and seamanship training for the Coast Guard Aux.<br /><br />I not sure we will continue to pratice the Towing drill with the new laws putting you at risk of being sued.<br /><br />Two thing we have not done and should do is practice in worse conditions, and rotate positions, just incase the captain falls over board.
 
Mike Robinson

Mike Robinson

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Jun 29, 2005
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Re: EMERGENCY DRILLS - Do you have any?

As mentioned previously I think it's important that passengers know how to operate the vessel in case you become incapacitated in some way. <br /><br />How many of us know how to get someone back into the boat should they fall overboard? If you have a ladder then it's simple, but if not?<br /><br />Does anyone besides the skipper know how to use the flares or the VHF radio? How about starting the motor? Even experienced boaters can forget about simple things like kill buttons in the heat of the moment. I have even seen situations where no one knew (myself included) how to release a tilted outboard. Lots of people don't know how to wear a life preservers properly. Does everyone know where they are stowed?<br /><br />Drills can be, and have been, life savers!
 
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